Letter of Rec from Lecturer

[HelloWorld1]

Hey everyone, I wanted to get some input on what you all think about getting a letter of rec from a lecturer? I took a biology course from a professor (she does not have a PhD, just a masters degree) whose title was "Biology Lecturer" and she wrote an amazing letter of recommendation for me. Will schools not give this letter as much credence as say someone with a PhD? Or someone who is a tenured professor.

Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[SellerAl]

Hey everyone, I wanted to get some input on what you all think about getting a letter of rec from a lecturer? I took a biology course from a professor (she does not have a PhD, just a masters degree) whose title was "Biology Lecturer" and she wrote an amazing letter of recommendation for me. Will schools not give this letter as much credence as say someone with a PhD? Or someone who is a tenured professor.

Thanks

best letters are the ones from people who genuinely know you and can say good things about your personality, not some fancy title.

 

[PMPMD]

best letters are the ones from people who genuinely know you and can say good things about your personality, not some fancy title.

Yes, the quality of the letter is MUCH more important than title. One of my letters was from an instructor who was still finishing her PhD.

 

[HelloWorld1]

Thanks for the quick replies.

That is such a relief, my committee adviser told me to find another recommender to possibly replace the letter from the lecturer because as he told me "that kind of letter is viewed differently and possibly negatively than say a full fledged professor or associate professor."

 

[SellerAl]

Thanks for the quick replies.

That is such a relief, my committee adviser told me to find another recommender to possibly replace the letter from the lecturer because as he told me "that kind of letter is viewed differently and possibly negatively than say a full fledged professor or associate professor."

ignore that clown. people routinely get great letters from less prestigious people than your bio lecturer. send it

 

[kduck]

Schools are generally (with exceptions, of course) a lot less picky about letter requirements than I thought they would be. For example, I don't have two letters from two professors in science courses - I have one science, one statistics, and one lab PI letter (among others, but those are my only science-y ones). This is against the 2 science class letters recommended, but my cycle has gone well.

Don't stress! Remember that pre-med advisors are alarmist by nature. 🙂

 

[Acoustica]

For those who have done research in a lab, do you typically send a rec letter from just the PI or do you get one from your post doc?

I've been working in the same lab for over 3 years and last year, my supervisor (who is an MD that I shadowed a few times at the hospital as well) left to lab to go back working full time in the hospital. I'm currently working on a new project with a new post doc. I'm planning to ask the PI and my old supervisor for a letter of rec (they both are MDs!), but I don't know if I should ask or even send one from my new post doc supervisor. What do you guys think?

 

[kduck]

I was in a tiny lab that didn't even have a postdoc and only had one grad (MD/PhD) student, so I got my letter directly from the PI - he knew all of us personally. Unfortunately I don't have any insight on what to do in a larger lab situation. Good luck!

 

[kduck]

I'm a girl - but I was super lucky in being accepted into the lab I was in. I mean, we had a lab pool party once, and for a lab meeting we picked berries beforehand and ate them with ice cream during the presentation. It doesn't get much better than that!

 

[blizzah]

I had a LOR from a senior lecturer who taught me in two courses. It's fine.

If ALL your LORs came from just lecturers, or people without doctorate level degrees then you may wade into unwanted territory, but probably would still be fine anyway.

 

[Acoustica]

I'm planning on taking concert choir--it's an actual class and he's a prof--could a get a letter from him (as a non science) if he got to know me?

And once and for all, psych profs are considered non science-recs, right?

 

[Slev]

x